UMEM Educational Pearls

Title: bacteremia in the elderly

Keywords: infection, sepsis, bacteremia, geriatrics, elderly (PubMed Search)

Posted: 8/14/2011 by Amal Mattu, MD
Click here to contact Amal Mattu, MD

The most common sources of bacteremia and serious bacterial infections in the elderly are the GU tract, the respiratory tract, and #3-the abdomen.

This third source is a bit of a surprise to many clinicians but worth remembering. Always consider the abdomen as the source of dangerous infections in the elderly when the source is not clearly the lungs or urine!

References

Caterino JM. Evaluation and management of geriatric infections in the emergency department. Emerg Med Clin N Am 2008;26:319-343.